Food & Drink industry calls for pan-EU, competitive & well-funded CAP

Date:29/11/2017

(Brussels, 29 November 2017) On the occasion of the publication of the Commission’s Communication on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), FoodDrinkEurope wishes to reiterate the key principles on which the CAP should remain based:

a truly common agricultural policy, to underpin a strong and well-functioning Single Market, i.e. fair competition among farmers across the EU. Since greater subsidiarity might be granted to Member States, the Commission should have a strong role in the assessment, approval and monitoring on the CAP strategic plans, to prevent any renationalisation;

fair competition conditions among all economic operators along the food supply chain and a continued market orientation in agriculture. A more market-oriented CAP has contributed to improving the competitiveness of the agri-food sector and is the most efficient approach to improve the competitiveness of EU farmers;

continued public support and existing safety-nets through the CAP budget to avoid disruptions in agricultural production. Investment support is also essential to strengthen EU agriculture and make it more resilient, while also encouraging a move to address climate change. This will require a common budget with appropriate funding in the Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) after 2020.